Higher education, as a rule, is generally quite a good move for a vast amount of people – a degree is a certificate of applied intelligence, and will open doors after three years of studying that can be very difficult to get into any other way. That said, it’s not like university is the be-all and end-all of success. There are many, many other ways to get ahead in life, whether it’s by starting in a smaller job and working your way up the ranks or coming up with an excellent idea independently or simply by networking or being creative. University is a very, very good option for a lot of people, but it’s not the only option and it’s certainly not the only option to getting ahead in life.

The people who tend to do well by going to university are the ones who are prepared to work hard and in many ways make sacrifices. Science courses, for example, don’t have much room for creativity. And even courses in the arts and literature are enormously restricted in the modules available to students. It may be that a handful of English students are particularly keen on medieval literature. Most aren’t, but will have to put up with it to get a decent grade. That, simply, is the way of the world and one of the great displeasures of university – it may well offer a good way into something that a student wants to do later on in life, but there’s a lot of unpleasant stuff to sift through in the meantime.

The same thing goes for getting ahead outside university too, of course. Often the very successful people in life haven’t gone to university, and many of them say things like “I learnt the value of hard work”. Not going to university may set some people back in work, but at the end of the day true talent shines through whether you have a degree or not, in our experience. University is a personal choice, and though it can be very helpful, it’s absolutely not for everyone. This is our guide to working out whether or not you should go to university – we’ll address the pros and cons and the whys and whens, but at the end of the day it is absolutely your choice.

The Advantages Of University

A degree, as we said before, is a certificate of applied intelligence. Practically, this means that you don’t have to prove to any potential employers or clients that you’re clever enough to gain a university qualification. Of course, from your time at university you should also gain a vast amount of practical knowledge, but the real and most important part of a degree is simply that it shows that you are capable of getting it – not the knowledge that comes with it. It’s a subtle difference, but a very important one.

Having a degree under your belt in any subject will allow you to apply for better jobs and positions that would only consider graduates. Whether this is the right thing for an employer to do is the subject of a much longer and entirely different article, but, right or wrong, this is the case in the real world and many job applications will only be looked at if the applicant has a degree under their belt. As such, university can be immensely important in securing a good, stable, well-paid job.

Another huge advantage of university is the jump-start into adult life. Often someone who graduates after A-Levels or at the GCSE stage will not be able to move out right away and will be stuck living in the same place they grew up – generally with their parents. This means they don’t have the advantage of learning the general “life skills” that university students will learn over their time at university. Things like washing, ironing, cooking and cleaning are all simple tasks, but together they culminate in the ability to just live independently. This isn’t just an advantage of university, admittedly – everyone will learn it when they move out – but university is often when people learn to pick up these skills at the same time as earning their degree.

Finally, the social side of university is another huge advantage. Not simply because students are forced to learn how to make friends and socialise etc. etc. (most people already know how to do this) but because university is a great way to begin networking in quite a controlled and simple environment. At university you are surrounded by people who will – like yourself – grow to be young professionals in their field, and so in 20 years when you might need a graphic designer or IT consultant or a chemistry expert you won’t have to search the web or put an advertisement in a newspaper – you could simply log onto Facebook or check your phone and all will be well (and, if you’ve made the right impression, at “mate’s rates”).

So, yes, there are a huge advantages in going to university. However, there are disadvantages too (which we’ll get to). First, though, here’s a pinch of salt to go with all the claims we’ve made above.

A Pinch Of Salt (As Promised)

To sum up the advantages above, we could say university offers: proof of intelligence, intense knowledge in a specific subject, jump-start into independent life, social practices, and networking advantages. Now, these are all immensely useful things to have, but it’s not like university is the only possible way of achieving a lot of these.

It’s true that a degree is a very sure-fire way of proving you’re clever and that you have good knowledge in a specific subject, but it’s not the only way of doing so – a few years working within a specific industry, particularly in a prominent, problem-solving position, can prove the same thing. Yes, a degree is the fast track way into becoming a clever expert, but we don’t want you, reader, to think it’s the only way.

Similarly, a jump-start into independent life will happen sooner or later when anyone moves out of their parental home and starts living on their own. University may well be the easiest way to start learning (because you’re surrounded by people in a similar situation and have the cushion of a student loan), but it’s not the only way to learn how to live by anyone’s standards. Social practise will also come sooner or later, and no, you might not get the networking advantages that a university student might, but you’d be surprised how many people you can meet in a year if you put yourself out there. Networking comes in many shapes and sizes, particularly with the power of social media these days.

Point is, yes, university is very often the best and fastest way to get ahead in a lot of categories, but it’s rarely the only path to the same destination. University is advantageous, but we don’t want you to think that it’s the only possible way to take your life in a certain direction, because it quite simple isn’t. It’s simply the fastest.

The Disadvantages Of University

There are also a few disadvantages of going to university that we should address. These, generally, fall under the category of “common sense”, or even in some cases “duh”. Still, in the name of balance and fair play we’ll do our best to address them without sounding too patronising. Wish us luck!

The big first disadvantage of university is, of course, the expense. Now the prices of university fees have more-or-less tripled, there’s all the more reason to try to make it out in the world without trying to get a degree. £9000 a year, plus a student loan for living, plus whatever else it might cost, multiplied by the number of years you study, and you’re looking at a whole lot of debt before you’ve even started your working life. This, of course, has put a huge amount of people off university from the outset, and in fairness it’s very easy to see why.

Another big disadvantage of university is that it often has the ability to type-caste a working brain a little. If you were pretty decent at writing essays and factoring an equation during you’re A-Levels, there’s every chance you’ll only be decent at one of them by the time you graduate. University streamlines a person in one specific subject, but it doesn’t go much outside that so if you’re hoping for a job that’s not directly related to your degree you’re going to have to do a lot of extra homework to get on top of it properly.

University also has the possibility to, simply and frankly, not be quite right for a lot of people for a huge variety of reasons. One thing that everyone thinking about starting university should be aware of is that a degree program is hard work and will last a good long time. You can’t (well, you can, but you shouldn’t) leave after a year with a first-year grade to show off – the full degree grade is the only thing that’s worth anything, so you have to be in it for the long run. If you’re not, you’ll end up spending a lot of money on what essentially will have been a useless experience. Worrying, we know. You have to be sure you’re able and willing to spend another three years (at least) studying before you start university.

The disadvantages, we’re afraid, also come with a fair amount of salt. There are two sides to every coin, and every coin has two halves, and each of those… well, you get the point. Doubtless if we tried hard enough we could come up with a few pinches of salt to go with our pinches of salt. Don’t worry, we won’t do that.

Another Pinch Of Salt

So, the disadvantages summarised are: the cost of university, type-casting the brain, and the possibly painful commitment of another three years in education. Yes, they’re all pretty nasty things to be stuck in, but, again, it’s not like they’re all that bad, when you think about it.

The cost of university, for example, will be more than made up for with the job that you’ll get with your degree. That’s painfully obvious, really – if it wasn’t then nobody would ever, ever bother to get a degree in the first place. It will eventually pay for itself. The debt is a pain, but it won’t be the end of the world if you get a good grade at the end of your degree. In the grand scheme of things, the £36,000 that the entirety of university will cost will be less than your mortgage and once it’s paid off you’ll be earning a truly significant amount of cash if you did university right. Besides, the student loans system is set up so you have to be earning a decent wage before you even start paying them back. In that scheme of things, it all works out OK.

Type-casting the brain, the cynic might suggest, is going to happen anyway in any career path, university or not. And that of course can be prevented by keeping your studies separate from your vocations and if you’re doing an English degree doing the occasional bit of maths or vice versa. And the commitment to three years is a very important thing to get your head around but it isn’t, in itself, a bad thing to be committed.

Finally

You have to be certain that university is right for you before you start, it’s true. But remember that university isn’t for everyone and you can do well without going – university is, at best, a shortcut to success, and is far from the only way there. And if you don’t think university is right for you now, it’s not like it’s going anywhere – you can always attend later. Whatever you decide, we hope this article helped and we wish you all the best. Good luck!

A historical and highly prosperous city, Aberdeen is rumoured to be home to a castle that inspired Bram Stoker to go ahead and write Dracula. Located next to the coast, this beautiful Scottish city is also one of the UK’s most northern cities, so if vertigo and vampires aren’t a problem for you, you might want to consider studying and living here for the next few years. If so, let’s take a look at the low-down on all things Aberdeen for students.

The University Of Aberdeen

There are two universities in Aberdeen:

University of AberdeenRobert Gordon University

University of Aberdeen

It was founded way back in 1495, which makes it Scotland’s third oldest university. Throughout the ages five Nobel prizes have been handed out for work carried out here. Fast-forward to 2015 and the university is still going great guns, with graduate prospects higher than the country average, entry standards phenomenally high, and research quality top-notch. The University currently sits at 36 in the latest league table rankings. It has a huge library that contains over a million published books and 300,000 ebooks.

An extensive review of the curriculum at the University of Aberdeen was carried out in 2010, with the result being that degrees now have greater flexibility and structure. Additional benefits have also been included, such as the chance for students to choose new cross-disciplinary courses that focus on real world issues. There are 550 first degree programmes on offer for 2016/17 which means the chances are high that your preferred subject is available.

Robert Gordon University

The Robert Gordon University was founded in 1750 when it began life as a technical college. It has been a fully-fledged university since 1992, and currently sits 44th in the UK league table rankings. Graduate prospects are very high, although the University is let down somewhat by under-spending on facilities.

The University works closely with employers to ensure graduates are employable when they leave the University. Scholarships are offered, as are work-based placements. The University recently spent £120million on developing their Garthdee campus, and the University overall has a very solid reputation for student satisfaction – it was ranked as the second best value university in the UK by the Student Value For Money report in 2012.

Fees, Living Aspects & Student Finance

There has been a lot of noise made about the fact that tuition fees now cost English students up to £9,000 a year, but if you already live in Scotland and you’re thinking of studying at the University of Aberdeen, you’ll be happy to learn that you don’t have to pay a single penny in tuition fees. Nothing. Nada. Zilch! Your entire tuition fees will be paid for you by the Students Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS), which is Scotland’s equivalent of England’s Student Finance.

If, however, you’re an English, Welsh or Northern Irish student who is thinking of studying at the University of Aberdeen, you will be expected to pay your tuition fees yourself as you would at any other UK institution. Full-time courses now cost up to £9,000 a year, but you can still apply for Student Finance who will helpfully pay your fees for you depending on your circumstances. Although SF will pay your fees for you, you will have to pay the money back once you have graduated and are earning a certain amount of money. Scottish students do not have to repay their tuition fees and this is the only real difference.

Scottish-born students looking to study at the University of Aberdeen can also apply for a maintenance loan from SAAS to help pay for their living costs, such as rent, bills, travel costs, books and so on. The maximum you are entitled to is £5,750. This is repayable. If you were born in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, you can apply for a series of maintenance loans from Student Finance to contribute towards your living costs. How much exactly you are entitled to comes down to your personal circumstances and the income of your parents, but the maximum any student is entitled to is £8,200 per year. This is repayable.

When you go to university, whether it be the University of Aberdeen or elsewhere, it’s likely that you will have to manage your own finances for the first time. This means you will have to carefully budget how much you need each week for accommodation, food, travel, study equipment, as well as socialising. Some students find that their maintenance loan is enough to cover everything, while others take on part-time jobs.

Students who live in a self-catered University Halls of Residence for their first year spend between £360 – £540 on rent each month, £120 on food, and a further £140 on miscellaneous things.

Students who live in catered University Halls of Residence throughout the first year spend between £596 – £656 per month on accommodation (which includes bills and certain meals), £60 on additional food and an extra £140 on miscellaneous things.

Students who choose to live in private accommodation (usually house shares or private flats) during their first year (and beyond) at the University of Aberdeen spend between £280 – £380 on rent, £120 on food, £44 on energy bills and £140 on other costs each month.

General Info About Aberdeen

Aberdeen is otherwise known as the energy capital of Europe, so it’s a pretty big deal. It’s one of Scotland’s most prosperous cities and is known for its cosmopolitan, edgy vibe. As such, it’s often seen as the best place for students in Scotland after Glasgow and Edinburgh. It’s also the country’s third biggest city, yet despite its size it’s remarkably compact and easy enough to make yourself at home in.

There are frequent and plentiful bus services that offer student passes. Many students, however, prefer to walk around the city, as well as to and from their halls to campus, because everything’s reachable within short distances. Aberdeen has good connections with the rest of the UK, and even has a direct rail service to London. This journey takes approximately eight hours. There are also reliable coach services that link the city with the UK’s biggest cities.

Events, Venues & Points Of Interest

Aberdeen is a pretty spectacular place to study and live if you enjoy shorelines, castles, art galleries and museum, ghost-tours, skiing, walking and cycling. Yep, it sounds like a dream, doesn’t it?!

Aberdeen has lots to offer students who are a little bit tired of studying and want to do some exploring. The Granite City has castles, archaic cobbled streets (possibly built by the Romans), a stunning harbour, winter gardens, a beach, parks, cathedrals, and a statue of the godfather of Scotland, Mr. William Wallace himself (Braveheart basically. No, not Mel Gibson).

You won’t be short of places to shop either. Aberdeen offers students a very accessible and easy going shopping experience so that you don’t need to stray too far to buy another shirt for class after leaving yours in the cloakroom the night before. All the major brands are here, as well as lots of independent retailers and vintage stores. Union Street, the city’s main shopping mecca, opens you up to a whopping 800 shops, bars and restaurants.

Aberdeen does culture, music and film pretty well too. There are three cinemas in the city, including one on the beach (a cinema which is rather creatively called Aberdeen Beach), a theatre with student discounts that treats you to dramas, ballets and musicals, as well as the City Art Gallery which houses some awesome hidden gems. You can even go skiing in Aberdeen, play golf, watch some football (Aberdeen are basically now better than Rangers), and visit the Maritime Museum for some cool knowledge. Meanwhile, The Tunnels is Aberdeen’s best live music venue. Located just off Union Street, it’s popular with students and gives a platform to the most happening bands in the underground. Get on it, people.

Nightlife

Okay, okay. We know why you’re here: The beer. Fortunately Aberdeen offers a cracking nightlife for students. It’s a city that prospers during the day before stumbling home at night.

The Aberdeen Union Bar is always popular with new students. It’s been closed down and reopened more times than a dodgy market stall selling cut-price “diamonds,” but it always offers fantastic drink promotions and hosts regular fun nights, such as quizzes and karaoke. It’s a great place to start any night.

The Union is another popular student bar that is located right in the heart of the city. Only students are allowed in here, so you can definitely be sure that you won’t be rubbing shoulders with an ageing, bearded Scotsman who wants to buy you a drink and talk to you about how much he hates Celtic. It looks pretty grand these days too, thanks to a recent £250,000 refurbishing job.

Other bars popular with students include Scream Bar which offers drinks for just a quid during freshers, The Bobbin, which is located right next door to The University of Aberdeen, and Triple Kirks which also has a club upstairs (Exodus). Aberdeen also has franchise-bar Revolution in its vicinity, as well as the more expensive Siberia Vodka Bar where you get the chance to drink vodka like Siberian’s (trust me, they know how to drink those Siberian’s).

Popular clubs in Aberdeen include techno palace 42 Below, chart oriented Institute, the always swanky Babylon, the cheap as chips Forum, the converted church Priory, and the aforementioned Exodus. Most nightclubs offer cheap entry and very generous drink prices. If you pop to Espionage on a Monday, you get 50% of all drinks. I can’t say fairer than that, can I?

So There It Is

Aberdeen is fantastically located by the shore and has a booming economy that makes it an attractive place to live for anyone. For students, it’s got a heady mix of academia, culture and booze. If you’re considering giving it a shot but would like a bit more info, why not start your search for a university course in Aberdeen now?!